# Was Buddha really that fat?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-buddha-really-that-fat/205241>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 3, 2003, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-buddha-really-that-fat/205241 "2003-10-03T02:39:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-buddha-really-that-fat/205241/21 "2003-10-07T08:01:24Z")

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> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by SnoopyFan \*  
> \*\ ***He wasn’t fat, he was festively plump!** \*\*

I’m sure it was just glandular:dubious:

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**Author:** ![Blackeyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@Blackeyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackeyes)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-buddha-really-that-fat/205241/22 "2003-10-08T03:44:37Z")

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> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by flowbark \*  
> \*\*1. **Blackeyes** : Nice cite.

Thanks. I think this was my first GQ thread I’ve ever answered in.

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**Author:** ![Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dreaming_of_Maria_Callas)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-buddha-really-that-fat/205241/23 "2003-10-08T09:10:26Z")

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> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by acsenray \*  
> \*\*And the Women’s Christian Temperance Union argues that when “wine” is mentioned in the Bible, it really means “grape juice.” The question is whether Buddha ever actually said that the Middle Way requires abjuring the eating of meat. \*\*

No it isn’t. What a rude answer. The question is “Was Buddha really that fat?” In response to someone’s assertation that Buddha died of overeating, I replied that whether Buddha ate meat at all is debated. This thread has nothing to do with his instructions to the sangha. We’re only discussing the dietary habits of the man himself.

UnuMondo

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**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-buddha-really-that-fat/205241/24 "2003-10-08T15:49:12Z")

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You said:

> [@](#):
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> Many Buddhists believe that a man who taught such compassion would never eat meat

This is not a credible argument regarding either the Buddha’s own diet nor any dietary restrictions he might have encouraged. If this is the only evidence relevant to the “debate” regarding whether Buddha ate meat, then it’s no debate at all.

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